Women's State of Origin opener breaks rugby league records

The opening game of the 2024 Ampol Women's State of Origin clash broke attendance and television rating records as New South Wales upset Queensland 22-12 at Suncorp Stadium.

A record women’s Origin crowd of 25,492 were in attendance for the clash, a figure nearly double the attendance of last year's series opener at CommBank Stadium (up 97% v 12,972) and significantly above the previous attendance record of 18,275 from last year's Game Two at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Television numbers show the match to be the most-watched Women's State of Origin match on record, with Channel Nine's free-to-air viewership higher than free-to-air viewership for any NRL Telstra Premiership match this season and higher than free-to-air viewership for any AFL match played this year.

With a national total TV reach of close to 2 million and a total TV national audience of more than 940,000, ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys said the figures spoke to the strength of rugby league and the growth of the women's rugby league.

"The women's State of Origin was extremely successful last night, I'm pleased to announce," V'landys said at a press conference in Brisbane on Friday.

"The ratings were up 40% year-to-year and it's the biggest audience we've ever had to a women's game. It nearly hit a million viewers which is remarkable on how far the women's game has come.

"It's just reward for those ladies because their ability and skill is unbelievable."

Game Two of the Women's State of Origin series will take place in Newcastle on June 6 with the Sky Blues looking to take an unassailable series lead and win back the Origin shield from the Maroons.